An Uncertain Beginning ...

... but lots of laughter.

Happy New Year, Ms J.

I've just read the last post I wrote in 2005, and that too, was a time of uncertainty, a time of suffering.

Sighhhh ...

Life is difficult, isn't it? I'm reminded though, that it's only as difficult as I choose to make it. So I'll do my best to stay positive despite the fact that the arbitrator ruled in favour of the company last week and thirty jobs have been abolished as a result. Mine is among them. This doesn't mean I'll be out of work, however it does mean I'll be back doing what I was doing fifteen years ago. My twenty-eight years of service count for nothing. I think I'll still be working as an engineer, Ms J, but I'll probably have no set work schedule at all and be subject to duty on a two-hour call.

Rather than stay home this weekend and worry every time the phone rang, I decided to visit my dear old dad. There were a number of events this past weekend to make me smile and invite me to count my blessings. Let me tell you about them.

I bought a new car!

I've been searching for a car for a fortnight or so. I had hoped to find something reliable and fuel efficient and I'm satisfied with the vehicle I found not far away, at a dealership in Long Branch. It's a Honda. A Honda Civic.

"You can't go wrong with a Honda," my friends told me. "They're a good, sturdy car, built to last. Look how many of them you see on the roads today. Very popular."

So I've got a Honda, Ms J. A boring, ordinary, just-like-every-other-Honda Honda. I'll have a hard time finding the darn thing in a parking lot. It's not as posh as my old Monte Carlo, but it makes a lighter footprint on the environment. And that's really important to me nowadays. I don't need to show the world how cool I am or how rich I am. I'd rather demonstrate my respect for the planet and my common sense and frugality.




My old Chevrolet had a 3.4 litre engine. This new car has only 1.7 litres under the hood. Half the motor. Half the gas consumption. Half the pollution. It has no power windows or leather seats or automatic transmission or fancy stereo. It's just a car. But it's fun to drive and gentle on my bank account. It will be the car in which Meagan learns to drive. Buying it was the right thing to do. Besides, my old car was perilously close to a major breakdown.

I picked up the car on Saturday morning. I left my old car there at the dealership and as I removed my belongings and transfered them to the Honda, I felt a great sense of loss. That big, blue car and I have been through some incredible adventures together. We've been involved in three serious crashes and although the car was badly damaged each time, it kept its passengers safe. Meagan and Dan and I had traveled thousands of miles together through all sorts of weather, and we were protected and brought safely home every time. I patted the old girl and silently thanked her for keeping us safe across all those miles.

When I left Long Branch, I drove straight to Georgetown to meet my brother. Pat and I then went in my new car to Mt. Forest and spent a couple of days with Mum and Dad. It was good, Ms J. I really enjoyed the time I spent there, just my big brother and me. I told Dad about my trials at work and he tried to be sympathetic.

"I know it's hard, Dale," he told me, "but just do your job as best you can, and they'll have no reason to bother with you."

They had no reason to bother with me before, Ms J, but they fired me anyway. And now they've taken our jobs away on the GO trains. Dad worked for CN Rail for forty-two years. It was a good place to work then. It's absolute shite now, but he can't understand that.

"If you're doing as you're told, they'll leave you alone."

Yeah, Dad. Sure they will.

I went with Mum to church on Sunday morning. I always enjoy going to church with Mum. I feel special to be out with her. Dad and Pat stayed home and worked on a puzzle Dad had got for Christmas. After lunch, my sister June arrived with her two young ones.


Ryan and Shauna.


Here's Ryan. He's five. Santa brought him a "whoopee cushion" for Christmas.

He begged Grandma to sit on it and she played along. We all laughed at the rude noises it made when Grandma sat on it.


It was funny, but not as funny as my haircut.

Dad cut my hair and June took a couple of pictures. Pat is a funny guy and he's always ready with a joke or a silly idea. Here he is getting in the picture with Dad and me.


Ever the joker.

"Hey," Pat said. "I've got a great idea. We should get a slice of bologna and cut it to look like Dale's ear. Then get some catsup for blood and ..."

So we did, Ms J. And I have never heard Dad laugh so hysterically in my entire Life! We all laughed, but poor Dad laughed the hardest. He completely lost himself in wild fits of laughter. My brother always thinks up the silliest things to do, Ms J. Gosh, he makes me laugh sometimes!


We sure act silly sometimes, Ms Journal, but my word, how we laugh!


I'm still smiling, Ms J. It fills my heart to hear Dad so joyous.

Pat and I left Mt. Forest after lunch and drove south again to Georgetown where we spent New Year's Eve downloading pictures from his new camera to his computer. We didn't even have a drink and it was long past midnight when we finally went to bed.

I came home today after dinner. It was good, REAL good, to spend time with my brother and family over the weekend. Now I'm home and I'll have to deal with the frustrating business of trying to find a train to operate on Wednesday.

But I feel happy, Ms J. I'm not pleased with my employer, but I do feel grateful for family. It's uncertain what will become of me in my career this year, but I know my family will be there to love me and support me and help me disperse my anxiety through laughter.

It really is the best medicine, isn't it?

***